Health Care Reform and the IRS

One of the key parts of the Democrats’ recently passed health care overhaul overlooked by many in the media is the new and expanded role of the IRS in enforcing the new legislation. Below is my column published yesterday in the St. Cloud Times speaking to this very troubling relationship:

President Obama claims that his heath care reform package recently signed into law will expand accessibility to health care.

What he hasn’t been so keen on mentioning is the expanded role of the Internal Revenue Service in the oversight and compliance of his new legislation.

The IRS will gain access to the details of your health care plan and will have the authority to fine Americans who have not purchased “acceptable” health care coverage in the eyes of the government.

The bill results in a monumental change between the relationship of the taxpayer and the IRS, and adds responsibilities even the IRS admits it’s not prepared to deal with.

Through the Individual Mandate Tax, the IRS would assess a fine of 2 percent of household income or a maximum of $2,250 per household — whichever is greater — for not carrying proper coverage.

However, the 2009 IRS Taxpayer Advocate’s report to Congress articulated the concern that running a new program (such as health care) through the IRS brings about a “conflict with the IRS’ traditional mission (of revenue collection).”

The bill states the IRS is the regulator of “economic and financial decisions about how and when health care is paid for, and when health insurance is purchased,” and thus, acts as both prosecutor and judge to every American citizen regarding their health care plan.

Unless, of course, you’re in one of two groups of people: either in jail or in the United States illegally. The IMT does not apply to prisoners, who are already receiving taxpayer-funded health care.

Illegal immigrants who evade income taxes can still receive treatment for a head cold at the ER without paying any part of the fine for not carrying proper coverage.

Further, the Congressional Budget Office estimates that 46 percent of the IMT collected by IRS agents would come from the pockets of families making less than 300 percent of the federal poverty line, about $66,150 for a family of four.

That’s a direct contradiction of the President’s promise that those making $250,000 or less would not see any tax increases.

It is simply unacceptable for this President to destroy one promise to the American people while promising free health care to those here illegally.

The CBO suggests the IRS’ budget could grow by $10 billion to cover new IRS employees and the costs that come with them. That’s wages, overhead and health coverage all paid for on the taxpayers’ dime.

The only thing this bill expands is government power. It’s a boondoggle for the American people and sponsors government growth through increased taxation. If the President and Congress wanted to enact real reforms, they should have listened to the two-thirds of Americans who, based on polls, believe this overhaul expands government’s role in health care and costs way too much money.

Instead, the federal government has decided to tell the American people that we know better than you do. Ironically, it’s the American people who will have the final say come November.

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This whole fiasco is so disgusting and shameful I hate to even extend it the dignity of a conversation any more. I just want to go live somewhere else to avoid the twenty year train wreck. But my devoted wife wants to stay and fight. Fight what ? The lines at the ER ?

The dumb-ass republican wimps blather on about ‘repealing’ healthcare. Can you tell me one law that has ever been repealed – other than Prohibition – in the history of the U.S. ? If the RINOs get in power in November, they will just modify the health bill to suit their own purposes, and we’ll still be stuck with it. Socialized medicine will now become part of our culture, and in a couple of decades we’ll be acting like we made the whole thing up on purpose.

I’d like to know what you think is going to happen with the states that say they are going to make forced purchase of health insurance unconstitutional in their state. Is it all just show and tell ? Will they have the gonads to follow through; and, if so, how do you think the Supremes will rule ? Stop in the name of love; or You just keep me hangin’ on ? RJ

@RJ: I am genuinely interested in what the states will do with their court cases. How the government can pass a law where over half the states get pissed off and file suit should tell you something, IMHO. However, I think that long ago states gave up their sovereign power to the federal government and in essence, they cannot do anything to fight this.

It is even interesting how you phrased it, even though it seems minute – you said states and not States. States (capital S) are a Federal possession per Title 4 of the United States Code.

As for leaving or fighting… where in the world would you go? The rest of the world is already socialized. At least here we have a fighting chance.

I have not checked it out yet, but I hear that in Massachusetts, health care, which Obama-care is based, is falling apart . They have the highest premiums in the country and their Obama-friendly Governor ordered premiums to be frozen, which is a death sentence to the insurance companies . Taxachusetts is a dry run for the rest of us .

Sorry – I just found your response to my previous rant, while I was ranting about your next dissertation regarding the Sixteenth Abomination.

Where would I go ? As in Shawshank, I’ll send you a postcard when I get there.

“At least here we have a fighting chance” – Let’s see; that means what ? A fighting chance to elect a different set of morons ?

“The oppressed are allowed once every few years to decide which particular representatives of the oppressing class are to represent and repress them.” Karl Marx 1818-1883

This battle has been lost. The U.S. is going over the edge either slowly or quickly, and everyone who lives within its geographic boundaries is sentenced to a life of suffering for the next two decades. If, by ‘fighting chance’ you mean the chance to fight every day to maintain some kind of normality in your life, then I guess you would be correct: “…here we have a fighting chance.” That is probably the way the citizens of Russia have felt for the last two generations – we have a chance to fight for our existence every day. So, if that sort of future appeals to you, then you are apparently of the same mind as my devoted wife. I’ll fight every day. Sounds like fun.

There is another war strategy to consider though: Pick your battles; and know when to quit. RJ

Yes, a fighting chance here in America. I think that other countries out there never have been what America was or is. America was built with safeguards. Other countries were not. Whether or not we embrace those safeguards, is up to us. Whether or not we stand up for our rights, is up to us. There is no mistake that the laws written today are not written so that laymen can understand them.

Perfect example, tax law.

But I do think that we have a better chance here, a fighting chance to get our country back. Other countries cannot get it “back” because they never had it in the first place!

Maybe the “battle is lost” for you. But as I sit here, I type without shackles. This, to me, is incentive to continue fighting. If you want to sit there and type as you wish and accept your enslavement then that is your prerogative. Your choice, not mine.

We have arrived at where we are by articulate and minute changes to law, society, and complacency. Is it truly your position that you have lost RJ? If so, then why are you here on my blog? Just give up and take the path of least resistance.

Because my wife hid the bullets, and I can’t buy any more with my police record.

But I don’t think we are talking about the same thing, with all due respect. Your points are certainly legitimate if that is the way you feel. I didn’t mean to sound like I was trying to dissuade you from your viewpoint. I hope young, energetic and intelligent people like you will fight on and ultimately win the war against socialization. I’m not as interested in fighting on because I’m old and tired and ill. I’m not encouraged that you have the fighting chance you believe you have: 1. Few people your age know snot about history, economics or responsibility. 2. The elite have all the trump cards, write the rules are are a large % corrupt. 3. In a society where only half the citizenry pays taxes, and where half the working people (probably a higher percentage now) count on gubmint money either directly or indirectly; 4. In a society where a small number of people vote (because of the previous reasons, and only a minuscule number of those who vote understand the issue or the candidate; – the scale has tilted pretty far to the left. The notion that ‘good’ always wins out is nice; it just doesn’t always work that way. Whatever position I happen to take, though, I’m always interested in learning – that’s why I’m on your blog. I don’t recall ever having a heated debate with you – just a back and forth conversation, sometimes with differing views. RJ

Quotes:

"We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth... For my part, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst; and to provide for it." - Patrick Henry

"Politicians and diapers both need to be changed, and for the same reason." - Anonymous

"Right is right, even if everyone is against it, and wrong is wrong, even if everyone is for it." - William Penn

"Naturally the common people don't want war; neither in Russia, nor in England, nor in America, nor in Germany. That is understood. But after all, it is the leaders of the country who determine policy, and it is always a simple matter to drag the people along, whether it is a democracy, or a fascist dictatorship, or a parliament, or a communist dictatorship. Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. It works the same in any country" - Hermann Goering

"I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. For I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out. For what I do is not the good I want to do; no, the evil I do not want to do this I keep on doing." - Romans 7:18-19

"Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover." - Mark Twain